David Stimpson from Tecumseh and represents District 1 and chair of the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners spoke to members today about a myriad of issues facing the board. Dave has served on the County Commission since 2005. Dave also runs a law practice in Tecumseh and Ann Arbor. He has been in the area for the past 20 years, is married and has four children.Dave spoke about the different county departments. Dave passed around copies of the county’s monthly newsletter. The commission, he said, was basically the Legislative and Judicial branches of Lenawee County. Public Safety (70% of the overall budget) and General Government are their responsibility. The county budget is just under $30M. Their source of revenues is from property taxes. Dave made it clear that the County Commission does not have authority over the roads in the county and that it is the responsibility of the County Road Commission who are all elected officials.
Regarding the Department of Human Services, Dave said that there are about 300 investigations per month conducted in conjunction with the State of Michigan on cases of child abuse. WIC and housing programs are also the responsibility of this county department.
Dave spoke about the issue the county’s Health Department has had to deal with of late and that is the raw sewage that has been found to exist in a section of the county and with fourteen property owners specifically. They are now forced to pursue condemnation procedures, he said. This case is currently moving through the court system.
When he heard about our Woodworking Warrior’s program, Dave mentioned that the county’s Veterans Affairs office has, in the past, levied a Relief Fund Millage. While it has not been levied for the past 4 years, there are funds available organizations can access.
Dave concluded by speaking about the new Sheriff and their new Sheriff’s Department offices. He also spoke about the county’s Landbank and its impact on blighted property which rests under the auspices of the County Treasurer’s Department, he said.